The Marionettes Chorale

Founded in 1963 and incorporated as a non-profit organisation in 2005, the Marionettes is one of the Caribbean's most celebrated choirs and performing arts organisations, both at home and abroad. In 1995, the Youth Chorale was formed, comprising boys and girls from over 30 secondary schools nationwide, from ages 11 through 26. In 2012, the group began welcoming youngsters eight years and up. The adult and youth choirs together average 100-odd singers. Led by Artistic & Musical Director Gretta Taylor, and artistic, musical, and administrative committees headed by Production Managers Joanne Mendes and Jacqueline Smith and Assistant Artistic Director Caroline Taylor — along with a collective of musicians (Joshua Joseph, Khadija Huggins, Caryll Warner and Dr. Maegan Pollonais McGrane) — the choirs mount at least two major series a year, showcasing a repertoire ranging from western classical (European Renaissance through postmodern pieces), to spirituals, gospel, Caribbean folk and calypso, and full-length operas and musical theatre productions. “We are extremely proud of our calypso and steelband traditions, and regularly adapt them for the choir. But we also want to show international audiences the vast range of talents and traditions that we have in the Caribbean. We want to move audiences with classic choral music as well as making their feet tap with our own traditional music, and do both equally well in the same programme. Our top priority is to do good music of every kind, and to do it as well as we possibly can, because we believe in it, and because good music can speak to us all in a profound way if we take the trouble to listen.” – Gretta Taylor